Welcome to the Office of Small Business Development

The City of Milwaukee's Office of Small Business Development (OSBD) was created to assist and protect the interest of emerging and small business concerns.

We take steps to promote and encourage full and open competition in the City of Milwaukee so emerging businesses may successfully compete in a free market as independent business owners. The staff has a communication network with each of the city's contracting departments to ensure that the opportunities in commodity procurement, construction, service orders and professional services are available to small and emerging businesses.

We work to enhance the emerging small business community by maximizing support services, contract opportunities, and financial resources to compete in the public and private sector markets. We also work to establish mentor-protégé relationships between small businesses and those businesses in the mainstream marketplace.

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The City of Milwaukee's Revolving Loan Program is designed to assist SBE-certified firms with financing for prime and sub contracts awarded to them. Funds are available to all currently certified SBE firms with upcoming City, MATC, MPS or MMSD contracts. Click here to access the Revolving Loan application.

The City of Milwaukee’s Business Capacity Building Program was designed to mentor and promote existing Small Business Enterprise firms actively engaged with city-funded private development projects and procurement. The program seeks to ensure full opportunity for participation by SBE firms on future public works and private sector development projects. The goal of the program is to prepare small businesses for sustainable growth that is measured by increased business revenues, new contracting opportunities and job creation.

As part of a contract award, contractors are required to participate in mandatory training on the City of Milwaukee Office of Small Business Development’s Compliance Reporting and Certification System (CRCS powered by B2Gnow) within thirty (30) days after contract award.

Contracts with a value of $25,000 or more are monitored though the CRCS. Both prime and subcontractors are required to report payment information in the CRCS.